We are in the midst of some home improvement projects, trying to get ready for Peanut's arrival. We are working on finishing the basement in order to move the office into the basement and turn the current office into a nursery. This past week-end, we had some guys come over to remove our old radiators to make some more room for our furniture. Staley was quite taken with the guys who took away our radiators (or in her words, "the workers who took our radios"), and continues to point out the missing radiators and ask about where they are now.
Tonight at dinner, Zach asked what Staley and I were planning to do tomorrow. I responded, "The carpet guy is coming over in the morning." Listening as always, Staley added, "The carpet guys will come and take our rugs." It makes sense that if the radiator guys took our radiators, then the carpet guys will take our carpet. I guess we're just lucky that the car guys, the furniture guys, and the money guys aren't coming over too.
Adelie and Staley's World
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Sunday, January 27, 2013
To Nap or Not to Nap
I love naptime. Staley's naptime is my quiet time. I do chores around the house. I blog. I make phone calls. I relax. As much as I love spending time with my little girl, I enjoy this quiet time. It energizes me. Rejuvinates me. Makes me ready to tackle the rest of the day.
Unfortunately, Staley has decided that napping is not something she wants to do on a daily basis anymore. For the past month or so, Staley has been choosing not to nap about 2-3 days each week. She's not sad about it. She happily goes through the pre-nap rituals of listening to songs and reading books. She has no qualms about being laid in her crib. She just chooses not to sleep. I will leave her in her crib for an hour to an hour and a half, and she just happily talks and sings the entire time. I think her active imagination is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, she can entertain herself without toys or books (except for a certain Yellow Bear) in her crib for over an hour without difficulty. On the other hand, maybe if she got bored, she'd fall asleep.
I can't really complain. Missing a nap used to mean difficult evenings, but Staley seems to take it in a stride now. She doesn't cry in her crib or try to get out of her crib. She tends to take slightly longer naps (2 hours instead of 1 1/2 hours) on the days she does nap. And I still have a little time to get things done, although I can't really call it quiet time anymore since I can hear Staley's running commentary, stories, and songs through the monitor the ENTIRE time she is in her crib. I do think Staley's a little young to be giving up naps, but she gave up her second nap early, so maybe she's just not a napper. Unfortunately, it seems that Staley might be done taking naps about the same time we welcome home a little Peanut who probably won't want to sleep through the night. But I'm getting ahead of myself. For now I'll focus on the fact that, since Staley didn't nap today, I'll probably have a few hours of quiet time tomorrow.
Unfortunately, Staley has decided that napping is not something she wants to do on a daily basis anymore. For the past month or so, Staley has been choosing not to nap about 2-3 days each week. She's not sad about it. She happily goes through the pre-nap rituals of listening to songs and reading books. She has no qualms about being laid in her crib. She just chooses not to sleep. I will leave her in her crib for an hour to an hour and a half, and she just happily talks and sings the entire time. I think her active imagination is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, she can entertain herself without toys or books (except for a certain Yellow Bear) in her crib for over an hour without difficulty. On the other hand, maybe if she got bored, she'd fall asleep.
I can't really complain. Missing a nap used to mean difficult evenings, but Staley seems to take it in a stride now. She doesn't cry in her crib or try to get out of her crib. She tends to take slightly longer naps (2 hours instead of 1 1/2 hours) on the days she does nap. And I still have a little time to get things done, although I can't really call it quiet time anymore since I can hear Staley's running commentary, stories, and songs through the monitor the ENTIRE time she is in her crib. I do think Staley's a little young to be giving up naps, but she gave up her second nap early, so maybe she's just not a napper. Unfortunately, it seems that Staley might be done taking naps about the same time we welcome home a little Peanut who probably won't want to sleep through the night. But I'm getting ahead of myself. For now I'll focus on the fact that, since Staley didn't nap today, I'll probably have a few hours of quiet time tomorrow.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Cabin Fever
We need to get out more. Every day, Staley talks about all the fun things she'd like to do. As soon as she wakes up, she asks to go to the zoo, the aquarium, Sea Land (whatever that is?), the Disney store, the park. She asks to ride trains and helicopters and boats. She wants to see fireworks and parades. Like the sweet girl she is, she always invites me to join her. "You want to go to the aquarium with me?" Whenever I tell her it's just too cold, she always says, "We will go when it gets sunny." Staley and I both can't wait for it to get sunny (and warm) again.
To fill the void, Staley pretends. She pretends...and pretends...and pretends. The other day, we pretended to go to the zoo where Staley proceeded to put on a variety of animal shows for me. (Not to be critical, but all the shows--from the hippo show to the beluga whale show to the wallaby show to the Dora and Boots show--where very similar.) We pretend to pick blueberries on Blueberry Hill (and strawberries on Strawberry Hill and pineapples on Pineapple Hill). We pretend to go on boat rides and train rides. We pretend to play at the park. Staley spends plenty of time riding her horse (a wooden dowel rod she found) around the house. Staley's imagination amazes and amuses me constantly. Our pretend play is generally not initiated by me. Staley comes up with a variety of scenarios, and always takes the lead. I love it!! But sometimes I feel bad that her days are filled with 'pretend' trips and adventures instead of real ones.
The one new fun activity Zach and I have (inadvertently) provided for Staley is her new bedroom furniture. We went to Ikea a few weeks ago to pick up a big girl bed and dresser and some shelves for Staley's big girl room. We have yet to actually put anything together, so the boxes are stacked invitingly in our bedroom. These boxes have become Staley's source of indoor adventure and fun, providing a whole new platform for pretending.
To fill the void, Staley pretends. She pretends...and pretends...and pretends. The other day, we pretended to go to the zoo where Staley proceeded to put on a variety of animal shows for me. (Not to be critical, but all the shows--from the hippo show to the beluga whale show to the wallaby show to the Dora and Boots show--where very similar.) We pretend to pick blueberries on Blueberry Hill (and strawberries on Strawberry Hill and pineapples on Pineapple Hill). We pretend to go on boat rides and train rides. We pretend to play at the park. Staley spends plenty of time riding her horse (a wooden dowel rod she found) around the house. Staley's imagination amazes and amuses me constantly. Our pretend play is generally not initiated by me. Staley comes up with a variety of scenarios, and always takes the lead. I love it!! But sometimes I feel bad that her days are filled with 'pretend' trips and adventures instead of real ones.
The one new fun activity Zach and I have (inadvertently) provided for Staley is her new bedroom furniture. We went to Ikea a few weeks ago to pick up a big girl bed and dresser and some shelves for Staley's big girl room. We have yet to actually put anything together, so the boxes are stacked invitingly in our bedroom. These boxes have become Staley's source of indoor adventure and fun, providing a whole new platform for pretending.
Climbing the 'mountain' is perfect for my young adventure-seeker.
Staley going to 'art class' with her bears.
Riding 'horses' with Jake.
I truly enjoy and appreciate Staley's imagination. I love that she can turn cold winter days at home into fun adventures. It makes me laugh as her brood of imaginary friends grows to include not just the pink, green, and blue friend, but all the colors in the rainbow. I hope she holds onto this ability to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. She makes the most out of these cold dreary indoor days...and she makes them so much better for me.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
HUGE!
I am 30 weeks along with Peanut, and there is no doubt. I am getting BIG! The polite, politically correct individuals tell me things like, "Your baby is really growing" and "You sure are blossoming." But I also get statements like, "You look like you could have that baby tomorrow" and "Are you sure you're not having twins?" Even my Prompt Care doctor this week-end, when looking at my belly and listening to baby's heartrate said, "You sure look bigger than 29 weeks."
And it's an indeniable fact. I took pictures each week of my growing belly with Staley, and I'm doing the same with Peanut. Comparatively, my Peanut belly now looks like my Staley belly at about 36-38 weeks. The other day, I was telling Zach that I feel like I'm as big now as I was right before I had Staley. My ever-thoughtful, reassuring husband informed me, "You just don't remember correctly. Right before you had Staley, you were HUGE! I mean, you're big now, but you were HUGE!!" Ummmm...thanks?
Along with my big-ness (and maybe related to my big-ness), there are several other differences I am noticing with this pregnancy. I definitely have a few more pregnancy related aches and pains, which I never really had with Staley. I have more difficulty getting comfortable for sleep, more back pain (although part of that might also be due to carrying around a 2 year old), and more numbness (primarily my right foot falling asleep frequently and some numbness in my upper back periodically.) Peanut is also definitely a mover and a kicker. Staley moved around quite a bit, and I never quantified it so I can't really compare, but I feel like Peanut moves around A LOT. And not just dainty kicks and shrugs. I think he/she is having a gymnastics competition in there. I love all the movement, the reassurance all those somersaults and cartwheels provide, but with all that movement, sometimes I wonder...maybe it is twins???
Staley thinks so. Whenever anyone asks her if she thinks she's going to have a brother or a sister, she generally answers, "I will have two babies. One brother and one sister." Of course, if my 2 year old knows more than my OB about the number of babies I'm having, I think I'm going to need to find a new doctor. On the other hand, I may feel more justified about my belly size. Because it's definitely big. Apparently not yet HUGE, but definitely big.
And it's an indeniable fact. I took pictures each week of my growing belly with Staley, and I'm doing the same with Peanut. Comparatively, my Peanut belly now looks like my Staley belly at about 36-38 weeks. The other day, I was telling Zach that I feel like I'm as big now as I was right before I had Staley. My ever-thoughtful, reassuring husband informed me, "You just don't remember correctly. Right before you had Staley, you were HUGE! I mean, you're big now, but you were HUGE!!" Ummmm...thanks?
Me and Peanut...living large at 29 weeks
Along with my big-ness (and maybe related to my big-ness), there are several other differences I am noticing with this pregnancy. I definitely have a few more pregnancy related aches and pains, which I never really had with Staley. I have more difficulty getting comfortable for sleep, more back pain (although part of that might also be due to carrying around a 2 year old), and more numbness (primarily my right foot falling asleep frequently and some numbness in my upper back periodically.) Peanut is also definitely a mover and a kicker. Staley moved around quite a bit, and I never quantified it so I can't really compare, but I feel like Peanut moves around A LOT. And not just dainty kicks and shrugs. I think he/she is having a gymnastics competition in there. I love all the movement, the reassurance all those somersaults and cartwheels provide, but with all that movement, sometimes I wonder...maybe it is twins???
Staley thinks so. Whenever anyone asks her if she thinks she's going to have a brother or a sister, she generally answers, "I will have two babies. One brother and one sister." Of course, if my 2 year old knows more than my OB about the number of babies I'm having, I think I'm going to need to find a new doctor. On the other hand, I may feel more justified about my belly size. Because it's definitely big. Apparently not yet HUGE, but definitely big.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Laments of a Sick Mother
It's a universal truth. Being sick is no fun. Feeling miserable, congestion, cough, fever, aches, chills. (Official diagnosis: Influenza.) Nothing about it makes anyone want to voluntarily sign up. But as I sit here on the couch after my fresh dose of Tylenol and dinner of chicken noodle soup, blankets on, hood up, I have been thinking about how illness is just one more thing that motherhood changes. Because as yucky as I feel, my primary thoughts remain:
1. Is my fever, my heart rate, my violent coughing fits, my medication going to in any way be detrimental to Peanut?
2. Am I eating enough and drinking enough to keep Peanut nourished appropriately?
3. I'm just so glad it's me and not Staley.
4. But can I keep Staley from getting this?
5. Will she feel as sad as I do that we didn't see each other all day? That I won't be able to kiss her good-night? That she will probably be getting much more Daddy time and grandparent time than Mommy time over the next few days?
6. How, oh how, do I sanitize myself and our home enough to keep Staley healthy?
7. When will I feel well enough to be a good Mommy again?
There is nothing good about being sick. But just like everything else I've experienced as a mother, things are different now. My thoughts are different. My priorities are different. My concerns are different. But the actual illness...it's not different. Still sucks!
1. Is my fever, my heart rate, my violent coughing fits, my medication going to in any way be detrimental to Peanut?
2. Am I eating enough and drinking enough to keep Peanut nourished appropriately?
3. I'm just so glad it's me and not Staley.
4. But can I keep Staley from getting this?
5. Will she feel as sad as I do that we didn't see each other all day? That I won't be able to kiss her good-night? That she will probably be getting much more Daddy time and grandparent time than Mommy time over the next few days?
6. How, oh how, do I sanitize myself and our home enough to keep Staley healthy?
7. When will I feel well enough to be a good Mommy again?
There is nothing good about being sick. But just like everything else I've experienced as a mother, things are different now. My thoughts are different. My priorities are different. My concerns are different. But the actual illness...it's not different. Still sucks!
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